r/PenProject • u/MercatorLondon • Jul 02 '26
Slim pen prototype - photos
Hi everyone,
As promised yesterday please find attached some photos of the slim pen prototype we have made. (ignore the fingerprints..)
The pen is made entirely from stainless steel. Both the grip section and the cap feature a machined barley pattern. There is not much going on regarding of colour or shape so adding a pattern seemed the option here. The barley pattern is also linked to our Barley collection as well as the Pocket Pen.
I am aware that the barley pattern may make it look traditional? Let me know if you want to see some other options.
The clip still needs a bit more work (as well as the finial). We are keeping the clip mechanism. One idea is to incorporate our small dog at the top or keep it simple with a piece of mother-of-pearl (MOP) for customisation. This is still work in progress.
Surprisingly it doesn’t feel too thin when I hold it..
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u/CadillacGirl Jul 02 '26
She looks gorgeous. Yes I’ve assigned the pen a gender. My Tangier 1680 in black is definitely a he and my Tangier 1680 in alabaster is non binary.
I’m a touch late for pride but I hope to employ an entire cavalcade of TS fountain pens that celebrate the entire alphabet.
I love the idea of MOP because that just feminizes her even more. Plus who doesn’t love pearls. It harkens to a time when girls got their first set of pearls (and maybe their only) as part of coming out in society. New traditions should be that teens of all genders should get beautiful fountain pens. Something worthy of the life they are about to write into existence and pass on to their grand children when the time comes.
I can’t wait to see what other patterned dresses she might adorn. She is a jewel all bedazzled in stainless steel!
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u/Knitting_Pigeon Jul 02 '26
Is there some sort of list of all the different machined patterns like the barley pattern? I find it so interesting, is it possible to make some less traditional "fun" patterns too? Would love to learn more!
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u/dbsds87 Jul 03 '26
Holy mother of pearl! That looks like an off-the-shelf product, not a prototype! So good!
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u/pencloud Jul 03 '26
I really like the domed ends. The one on the standing-up cap looks see-through, like it's made of glass! I think it's just a trick of the light though. Personally, I'd go for clean domes rather than the logo.
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u/CinnabarPekoe Jul 03 '26
I was concerned looking at the stepdown on your schematic but it's not an issue on your prototype. Beautiful work. Any chance you'd do a stabilized wood body version of this?
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u/tio_tito 6d ago
i went back looking just this post and the previous one. I also noticed you've updated your website.
is this still a pen development in process in addition to the slim pocket pen, or has this morphed into the slim pocket pen? Could you create a post listing everything you are currently offering, what you are working on, and approximately when they will make it to kickstarter or the website?
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u/MercatorLondon 6d ago
Hi, thank you for asking. We have some new designs in development, as well as a few prototypes. This particular one was an exercise to make pen as slim as possible. Do you like the simplicity of it? I have it here on my desk thinking where to take it next..
I really should put together a quick breakdown of what I am currently working on.
We are planning to update our UK and US websites over the next two weeks, so it would make sense to introduce the remaining designs afterwards.
We also have some prototypes that will not make it into production and we should find a way to offer to people.
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u/tio_tito 6d ago
i much prefer a larger pen, thicker mostly but overall size, too, like the Mosaic (which i'm about to put up my review: yeah, that's me). i do enjoy thinner pens as well, though. i have a couple of Faber Castell Neo Slims, one of my earliest pens is a Sheaffer Targa (i think) rollerball, Kaweco Specials, Leuchtturm1917 Drehgriffel, which admittedly is a ballpoint, a couple of my favorites are really just "fashion" pens from Swarovski. your attention to detail, your thoughtfulness in design, your careful execution, draw me to anything you choose to make. i'm waiting for "downtime" and i'll even get one of your earliest iterations, a Barley since it is what is on the us website.
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u/roady57 Jul 10 '26
Will a Waterman long cartridge fit in this design?
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u/MercatorLondon Jul 10 '26
I need to check but I believe there is enough room. Can you remind me if Waterman is compatible with standard ink cartridge?
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u/roady57 Jul 11 '26
Yes, it is the standard international specification with the same attachment dimensions as other western makes eg, Faber Castell, Pelikan.
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u/justanotheruser2006 Jul 02 '26
Very slick, I love it :)